From the pastor It’s New Year’s again, time for the media barrage of Weight Watcher’s spokespeople, gym membership offers, and “resolve to save” ads for needless junk (not that I’m cynical). If we all survive the fiscal cliff, notepaper is waiting at the bottom of the fall for everyone to make resolutions - eat well, exercise often, and save wisely - all good for us, but hard to maintain. Resolutions are difficult. Our faith doesn’t take much stock in resolutions; in fact, our scriptures are stories of, prayers from, and letters to people who break them, often in spite of their best efforts. On our own, we humans struggle to make changes, even if they are in our best interest. Resolved to find our own way in the wilderness, we get lost, get stuck, or create golden calves, objects or ideas we think will save us, for which we make great sacrifices, only to realize that they are too heavy, too costly, and devoid of meaning. Christian faith gives an alternative. This time in the church year, our liturgy focuses on baptism, on the sacrament in which God claims all of who we are and what we have for God’s good purposes. Baptism invites us to repent, rather than to resolve. We Presbyterians don’t talk much about repentance; we tend to leave it to Catholics who do penance or early twentieth century evangelists who warned against the “evils of the world.” Yet liturgies in our worship book invite us

to repent, to turn away from sin and turn towards the grace of Jesus Christ. Assuming that “sin” refers to our world’s broken places and our propensity to fall into them, and “grace” describes God’s unconditional love for us and for all people as shown in Jesus, what an offer! Whereas resolutions can become difficult to fulfill once they are broken or forgotten, repentance implies that we are often tempted to turn away, but that God’s love and mercy remain constant, and we can therefore always turn back, even when we get lost or stuck. This year, instead of making resolutions, ask yourself how you might repent, or turn towards God’s goodness, justice, and love? It might be to eat more healthfully, paying attention to how your food was grown or processed, but how much more wonderful if your change is a

response to God’s goodness rather than self-deprivation. Perhaps your repentance involves choices about your finances, a discovery that the way you spend money makes it possible to do something good in the world. Maybe your invitation, out of your own baptism, is to turn away from an old idea that no longer works, to step out of a rut of a relationship, or to let go of an old way of understanding yourself, and to turn toward God’s love that offers deeper joy than the world can ever give. Especially if you find yourself reverting to old habits, with repentance it’s never too late to try again. This year, don’t resolve, just repent. It’s all that easy and all that hard and much more wonderful. May the peace of Christ be with you, Laura

January Worship

Ushers: Marilyn Trojahn and Billie Ellestad

January 6: Laura Cunningham preaching; Liturgist: Robert Rockefeller; Communion Servers: Betsy Phelan, Cliff Stiebeck, Carolyn and Bruce Russell

January 13: Laura Cunningham preaching; Liturgist: John Dick

January 20: Melissa Nozell preaching; Liturgist: Bob Schnell

January 27: Laura Cunningham preaching; Liturgist: Dotty Goren

Deacon of the Month: Adele Schnell. She can be reached at 845-735-4281.

The Good News

January

2013

2 The Good News

From the Editor

The Sunday after the Newtown

tragedy, Laura’s sermon spoke to

taking the time to listen to and care

about individual children. As a

teaching assistant for 12 years, I

worked with kids who really needed

some extra help and attention.

Memories of a number of them

immediately marched through my

mind-- some poignant, some

exasperating, some funny.

A special memory was Bobby, a big,

boisterous, eighth-grade redhead. At

least 5 inches taller than me and pretty

hard to keep on track with reading and

English, Bobby was slowly making

progress—and we got along well. One

day he told me he had to do a report

for Social Studies, and he just couldn’t

figure out how to write it. At that

time, I only worked until noon, and

since I knew that was Bobby’s lunch

period, I offered to help him then.

The only quiet place I could find was

in a storeroom off the library, so he

met me there. We got him organized

on how to go about writing his report

and he got it started while he ate his

sandwich. When it was time to go to

his next class, he suddenly got a funny

look on his face and said: “Where

would you be this period if you weren’t

helping me?” I told him I would have

been at home. He stared at me and

said, “Nobody ever did something like

that for me before.”

Bobby and I both learned something

that day.

Peace, Barbara DeVries

. The Book Group will meet on Wednesday, January 2, at noon at Mia Cucina in Blauvelt. This month’s book is Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.

Second Sunday Breakfast

Second Sunday Breakfast will be on Sunday, January 13, from 8-9 in the Great Hall. Come and enjoy both fellowship and a delicious breakfast of your choice, served up by the men of the church. Donation: $3.00. First Sunday Food Donations

Remember to bring nonperishable items for area food banks on Sunday, January 6, to be left on the communion table. Suggested items include tuna, peanut butter, rice, canned spaghetti or ravioli, cereals, etc., as well as diapers, soap, toothpaste, and household cleaners.

Annual Congressional Meeting

The Annual Congressional Meeting of the Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church will be held on Sunday, February 3, immediately following worship. All committee chairpersons are urged to get their annual reports to the church office as soon as possible, so that Dana can prepare the booklets. Guest Preacher On Sunday, January 20, we will welcome Melissa Nozell, a Harvard Graduate student, as guest preacher.

Nauraushaun Notes

Quote of the Month

“In youth we feel richer for every new illusion; in maturer years, for

every one we lose.”

--Ann Sophie Swetchine (1782-1857)

January 2013 3

Happy New Year! Thanks to all the parents and children who made the Christmas Play so wonderful! It truly was a group effort. I am looking forward to the New Year and all that it brings. In the weeks to come, we will be reading stories about Jesus and his ministry from the gospels of Luke and John. We will be exploring what it means to be a follower of Jesus and the ways in which followers can shine the light of God’s love in the world.

--Susan Sanchez

Alternative Christmas Market Thanks to everyone who shopped at the

Alternative Christmas Market, which featured items from Partners for Just Trade

and Equal Exchange. And thanks to everyone who worked to make the market and the

soup lunch a success.

A Christmas Note In a Christmas card to the church, former

pastor Sandy Shaw sent the following note:

“I know it has been many years since I last contacted you all, but you have always been

in our thoughts and prayers. May this be a joyful and blessed year for all of you.

--Sandy and Carolyn Shaw”

Nauraushaun Notes (continued)

Women’s Association January Dates

Tuesday, January 8: AM Circle, 9:30 AM

Tuesday, January 15: Board Mtg, 9:30 AM

Monday, January 21: Eve. Circle, 7:30 PM

Helping Hands Sheltering January sheltering dates are: January 4, 5, and 6. Always needed items are: warm clothing, crew socks, men’s underwear. There is a Helping Hands bin in the cloakroom.

We enjoyed very special Christmas music on December 16, when solo bell

ringer Brian Tricoli and NPC organist Karen Schmidt presented a wonderful

service of bell ringing and piano.

4 The Good News

Church Mouse --The Children’s Pageant on Sunday, December 23, was a delight! We thank all the thespians, teacher Susan, and the parents for this special Christmas treat. --Did you take pictures of the pageant, Christmas Eve service, or any other event at church? If so, and if you are willing to share the photos, please send via email or take them to the church office (in any format). We’d like to have them to share in the newsletter and the future Web Site. Dana will be able to scan them into the church files. --In the aftermath of the tragedy in Newtown, there were a lot of email and twitter comments about guns and mental health. Cliff Stiebeck had a particularly important comment, which he has agreed to share: “Let’s make it as easy to access mental health services as it is to purchase an assault rifle.” --Please remember to bring bananas, individual fruit cups, and other easy-to-eat fruit each Sunday for the Spring Valley Breakfast Program.

Equal Exchange

There are still some Equal Exchange goodies (such as chocolate and nuts) available in the church office, along

with the usual products. !

Concerns of the Church --Ongoing prayers for the Chanin and Cirilli families.

--Prayers of love and concern for Rose DeBerardinis, Marge Puzziferri, Johanna Keith, and Jackie Glaessgen.

--Our prayers are with former member, Stan DeVoe, who is recovering from back surgery in Florida. --Our love and prayers are with Pauline Levin, recovering from a badly broken arm. --Our prayers continue for the families in Newtown, Connecticut and for those families displaced by Hurricane Sandy.

A reminder that we are a fragrance-free church. Due to health concerns of some members and guests, please refrain from wearing fragrances such as cologne aftershave, or scented lotion to worship.

January Birthdays

Jan. 4 Andy Andrews Jan. 5 Sarah Ellestad Jan. 6 Matt Goren Jan. 15 Justin Stiebeck

Elena Vieitez Jan. 17 Marge Golisch Marge Hoermann Jan. 18 John Cirilli Steve Schiller Jan. 21 Timothy Chanin

January Anniversaries

Jan. 6 David & Nancy Rockefeller Jan. 23 Bob & Adele Schnell

Come and be filled with the power of

praying together! Prayer Group meets

every Thursday at 7 AM, at the church.

January 2013 Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church 51 Sickletown Road Pearl River NY 845-735-4565

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Church Office Closed

School Closed

Choir 7pm

AA 8pm

Prayer Group 7am

Iglesia 7pm-11pm

Safe Haven

Iglesia 7pm-12am

AlAnon 9:15am-

12:45pm

Safe Haven

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Worship/Comunion

10am

Waters Baptism

Safe Haven

Iglesia 1pm-5pm

Iglesia 7pm-10:30pm

WA AM Circle 9:30am

Choir 7pm

AA 8pm

Prayer Group 7am

Iglesia 7pm-11pm

Iglesia 7pm-12am

AlAnon 9:15am-

12:45pm

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

2nd Sun Breakfast 8am

Worship 10am

Deacons Mtg 11:30am

HV Piano Club 12-430p

Iglesia 5pm-9pm

Iglesia 7pm-10:30pm

WA Board Mtg

9:30am

Choir 7pm

AA 8pm

Prayer Group 7am

NNS Gen Mtg 7pm

Iglesia 7pm-11pm

Iglesia 7pm-12am

AlAnon 9:15am-

12:45pm

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Worship 10am

Iglesia 1pm-5pm

School Closed

WA Eve. Circle 730pm

Iglesia 7pm-10:30pm

Choir 7pm

AA 8pm

Prayer Group 7am

Iglesia 7pm-11pm

Iglesia 7pm-12am

AlAnon 9:15am-

12:45pm

NNS Open House 12-

2p

27 28 29 30 31

Worship 10am

HV Piano Club 12-430p

Iglesia 5pm-9pm

Iglesia 7pm-10:30pm

Session 7pm

Choir 7pm

AA 8pm

Prayer Group 7am

Iglesia 7pm-11pm

The NPC newsletter is published monthly. If you would like to provide a story or

information to be included in the newsletter, please provide your submissions by the 15th of

each month to Barbara DeVries by email at bdved1@aol.com or leave it in the Newsletter Box in the Church Office, or email the Church

Office at npcpearl@verizon.net.

A More Light Congregation where we joyfully welcome ALL people who worship God through Jesus Christ

Visit us on the web at www.npcpearl.org

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